ATU Installation

What is an ATU?

Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs) were designed to act as a sewage plant for your property. As a relatively new system, ATUs are an economical and dependable solution for the disposal of wastewater and on-site treatment. They were designed to make it possible for homeowners to invest in an alternative to a septic tank system, regardless of the condition of their topsoil.

What does an ATU do?

ATUs break down sewage and produce a higher quality, antiseptic output that can be suitable for surface irrigation. This allows for a smaller drain field, cleaner effluents, and effective sewage management in areas that are not connected to public sewers.

Why do I need an ATU installation?

• Great for homes with minimal, rocky or clay-based topsoil – One of the benefits that ATUs provide is their functionality for locations with adverse soil conditions. They also work well in locations with less space for a drain field. If this describes your property, ATUs are for you.
• Serves as an effective miniature sewage treatment plant for your home – ATUs are ideal for people whose homes are not connected to a municipal water system. ATUs provide convenient on-site wastewater treatment for homes and businesses that require wastewater treatment but are not located close enough to public treatment sources.

• Cleaner, faster, and more energy efficient – ATUs use aerobic bacteria, which require oxygen, to break down and treat wastewater more efficiently than other conventional septic systems.

• Reduces solid waste and other bacteria quicker than a septic system – The aerobic bacteria used in ATU wastewater treatment are more effective at breaking down organic matter than conventional septic systems, resulting in cleaner effluent.

Our ATU Installation Process

Consultation And Planning

ATU installation requires that you obtain a permit from your local board of health and the Florida Department of Health. A team member from Acme will complete this step of the process prior to the installation. 

After the permit has been approved, your septic installation team will communicate with you about your expectations for the installation. It is during this process that any possible environmental factors, project costs, and desired location for the ATU may be discussed. 

Site Preparation

A team member from Acme will perform a percolation test, which tests your soil’s ability to absorb water. The technician must also ensure that your septic system’s location is a safe distance from other underground networks, such as underground electrical or sprinkler systems, and that no landscaping or tree roots will harm the system’s operation. 

Once an appropriate location has been selected and prepared, measurements will be taken to indicate where excavation should take place. Attention to detail during this phase of the process ensures that the space in the ground will accommodate the system’s chamber, electrical components, and pipes.  

Professional Installation

Our septic technicians use commercial construction vehicles to perform the excavation phase of ATU installation. These vehicles will remove enough soil to create a space in the ground where your ATU will be placed. 

The ATU will then be lowered into the ground, and any assembly of pipes and electrical networks will be performed. Once every component of your new ATU has been placed, finalization and testing is ready to begin. 

System Testing and Finalization

The ATU will be tested for proper functionality during this phase. Testing involves checking parameters like dissolved oxygen levels, microbial activity, and effluent quality. 

Following testing and finalization, any soil, grass, or sod that was removed will be replaced. Your new ATU is now ready for service. 

How do you maintain an ATU?

• Get your ATU tank pumped every 2 to 3 years – Regular servicing is one of the most important parts of maintaining your new ATU. Keeping regular pumping appointments ensures that no clogs or sewage backups will take place, which can be expensive and complicated to repair.

• If you notice something is wrong with your motor, contact a professional ASAP to avoid raw sewage being discharged. – You can contact Acme if you notice that your ATU’s motor is not running properly. If raw sewage is discharged, this can create environmental and public health risks.

• Ensure all shrubbery and vegetation surrounding the ATU is maintained – Prior to installation, your septic technician will ensure that the ATU installation site is clear of vegetation. Following installation, you must not plant any trees, shrubs, or plants within an unsafe distance to your ATU. Any future landscaping must be far enough away from the ATU site to prevent damage or difficulty of access.

• Check the lids of the ATU to look for cracks – Damaged ATU lids can prevent proper aeration from taking place within the tank, which will limit your system’s ability to properly manage waste. Foreign objects and debris may also enter a cracked or faulty tank lid, which could result in clogs or malfunction. Make sure to periodically check the lid of your ATU for any signs of damage, and if any are observed, contact Acme for a repair right away.

Florida BMAP Regions:

Florida is very proactive in protecting its water resources, especially since it’s a state with a vast amount of underground water, known as the Floridan Aquifer, and extensive coastal waters. Over time, these precious water resources can become polluted from various sources, including old septic systems that leak nutrients like nitrogen into the groundwater.

To tackle this, Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has identified specific “Basins” (imagine them as large natural containers of water in the ground). These basins are areas where the water quality needs extra protection or improvement due to higher levels of pollution. For each of these basins, the state creates a “Basin Management Action Plan” (BMAP) – which is like a big to-do list of actions and improvements to help clean up the water in that area.

ATU Installation In BMAP Regions

Now, if you’re living in one of these BMAP regions and you have an old septic tank, there’s a chance it could be contributing to the nutrient pollution problem in the groundwater because traditional septic systems aren’t great at filtering out nutrients like nitrogen.

This is where ATUs come in. ATUs are like the upgraded version of the regular septic systems because they use oxygen in the treatment process (that’s the “aerobic” part), which helps break down waste more effectively and, crucially, reduce those polluting nutrients. This process is better for the environment, specifically the water in those basins we talked about.

So, in some BMAP areas, Florida regulations now require homeowners to install these advanced ATUs to help protect the water quality, especially if they’re building new homes or replacing failing septic systems. In other words, it’s the state’s way of saying, “Let’s work together to keep our water clean, and using these high-tech septic systems is one way we can do that.”

In summary, if you’re in a BMAP region, think of it as being in a special zone where the government is putting in extra effort to protect the water, and part of that effort might include upgrading to a superhero version of a septic system, known as an ATU.

Call Acme for Professional ATU Installation in Eastern and Central Florida

Our experienced technicians will perform your ATU installation and any maintenance needs you have throughout the year.

Contact us today for your free estimate.